I made sure the pocket knife was nicely tucked in my back pocket before knocking on Vasco loft apartment door. I heard him walk over and the door swung open.

He smiled as he leaned against the frame of the door shirtless with his jeans hanging very low, "Moon-Eyes, what a pleasure."

I held the envelope full of ten thousand dollars, "I want you to leave me alone. Ten thousand, all cash. Vasco, it's all I have."

He laughed, "You know what I want, Thalia. It certainly isn't money." I breathed out heavily, very frusterated since I just wanted this to end already! There is nothing good about being a Silver Jaguar! I rather be a plain ordinary Jaguar! At least, it wouldn't make me feel like some cursed object.

I growled deeply, "Vasco, enough games. Leave me alone, don't go near anyone important to me."

He brought his hand up to his hair and pushed it back, "Or else?" he asked. My canine teeth sharpened as my hands morphed into claws. I put the envelope in my pocket before I grabbed Vasco by his shoulder and brought my foot up, kicking him back into the loft. He hit the wall on the other side, chuckling as he bent down on his knees. I walked over to him, throwing my fist out but he grabbed it. My eyes widen as his foot came out and I fell on my back.

I quickly stood up, glaring at him. He stepped towards me with an amused look before lounging at me. He tackled me to the ground and I slid my legs up between us quickly pushing him off me. He fell bedside me and I quickly got on top of him.

"Always liked a girl who could take the lead." he said. I brought my claw out against his face, deep red marks going across his face. His amused look dropped as he looked back up at me with glowing reddish-yellow eyes. He tried lifting himself up but I pushed him down. My nails went into his chest as I growled and he cried in pain. He grabbed me by my hair and I winced as he pulled at it roughly. He even pulled a good hunk out when his finger ran through my hair and I cried out as my nails removed from his chest. He backhanded me off him and I crounched as he stood up.

He looked down at his chest, breathing out heavily, "Jeez, I never had this much difficulty with a woman before. Usually I like the challenges but this Thalia--this is a little much. I don't heal as quick as you do."

I growled up at him, "Do you get the point picture, Vasco?"

He stared down at me for a moment before bringing his foot out and kicked me down. I growled, going to the stand up but he brought his foot out to my stomach. I fell down as pain rushed through me as I groaned. He kicked me again, making me cry in pain. I looked at his ankle, watching it come towards me. I grabbed him by his ankle and I quickly bite his ankle. He cried out, trying to pull his leg away. His blood rush into my mouth, having a similar taste as a human but quickly got stronger. Bitter almost.

He finally pulled his leg away, falling back on his back. Blood rushed down my mouth as I pressed my hands against the hardwood floor and pressed myself up. Glaring at him, I stood up and growled at him.

"I raised not to be killer, Vasco. This is my warning, leave me alone. I don't wanna play your games. I will never be yours! You won't ever use me!" I yelled at him. I pointed at him as he glared up at me in pain as he toughed his bleeding ankle, "Enough. Turn your attention to someone else."

"This is my city, I make the rules." he breathed out coldly. "You don't tell me what to do! I tell you and I want you out!"

"We don't have no leader." I reminded him. "And you're the last person I would ever listen to. I don't want any trouble so just leave me alone."

He snorted, "This is my city. Mine." he said. "Mine!"

I stared at him for a moment, seeing the prideful man in those eyes. He truly believe New York City belong to him. He believed it all was his. I shook my head as I turned away, throwing my arm up and down. I walked over to the door as he rant on the city being his. I grabbed the door and slammed it shut as I walked out.

*

I sluggishly walked into Rian dorm building. I stepped into the elevator and pressed my back against the wall. Running my fingers across my hair, I groaned in frustration.

Hopfully now Vasco got the idea now that I wasn't joking. I didn't wanna play his games and maybe fighting with him he finally got the picture. One thing in life I most wanted in life was freedom to choose what I want. I want to make my own decisons, I wanna be with whom I choose. I finally got a life where no one was telling me what to do.

The doors opened and I stepped out. I walked out into the hallway and walked over towards Rian room. A strong scent hit my nose, a smell that made my mouth water. It hit me strong in my nose, so strong it made me pause and savor the taste. I lifted my head up to smell the delicious smell was coming from Rian door. My heart skipped a beat as I pressed my hand against the door. My hand balled into a tight fist. I shook my head, waking up from the yummy smell. I knocked on the door, waiting for Rian to answer. Rian who would always be study for his classes, my good boy Rian. My nerves shook as I knocked again and again. I finally grabbed the handle, the door locked. Grasping on it tightly, I broke the door lock by barging in.

My blood went cold as I saw Rian laying on the floor on his chest. His t-shirt was ripped with tares and his back scratched up. His face bloody since it was beaten so that's where that strong smell was coming from.

I cried out as I ran over to him, "Rian!" I yellled as I got down beside him. I touched him and he jerked as his eyes opened. He groaned in pain and I grabbed his arm. He cried out in pain, making me even feel worse, "Oh, my god! Rian." I said as laid against me. I lifted his face up, looking down at him and his eyes started to roll back so I shook him, "No! No! Stay awake, you gotta stay awake--"

I cut myself off when the strong smell hit my nose. I breathed heavily as blood came out from a cut near his mouth and the urge for human blood was strong. Ever since tasting human blood the first time, it had a strong even before my sixteen birthday but I learned to live without it until seeing Rian again. Then having his blood again, the urge became almost unrisistable. I controlled it the other night only because the Jaguars made me focus. But now, it was Rian familiar blood I craved.

His face scrunched up, "Thalia..." he breathed out. That woke me up and I ran my hand across my nose but I actually wanted to slap myself.

"I'm-I'm gonna get you to hospital." I said. I nodded, "Y-yes, hospital."

*

Rian sighed to the two police officers, "I don't know them. Some drugs addicates friends probably of someone who lives in my building and needed to find some money."

"Do you use drugs, Mr. Stark?" the female officer asked.

"No." he said frustrated. "I don't know them, like I said. They knocked on my door, I open it, and bam they hit me. They did their best to be quiet as possible because barley anyone heard. Look, I'm tired. My neck is sore and I need some sleep. Can we finish this another time?"

The police officers nodded, give them their cards, and left. Rian sighed as he laid back against the need, sighing heavily. His face was bruised with a cut near his lip, his right arm badly sprained. The attack wasn't anything life dangerous but it still didn't calm me.

I stood in the corner of the room away from him, biting my nails nervously. He turned to look at me and arched his eyebrow, "Come here."

I shook my head, not wanting to hurt him. Even though he wasn't bleeding anymore, it still freaked me out. I easily lose myself but thankfully I can catch myself just as quick. "No. . .no, I don't wanna hurt you."

"Hurt me? Jeez Thalia, not this again. Look, I'm fine here. I'm not bleeding or anything, don't be afriad. Now get over here." he said. I stared at him for a moment to see him looking serious and I breathed out heavily from my nose. I walked over to him and he took my hand. I sat down on the hospital bed, my thumb massaging the top of his hand. "You know I know who really did this right?" he asked.

I nodded, "I thought I was made it better but I guess worse."

"Why did you pick a fight with him, Thalia?" he asked.

I shrugged, "It what we do. We fight to protect, fight to show strength, fight to get a point across. How many if his guys were there?"

"Two." he said. "Thalia, it could have been worse but I'm still here."

"Because it's a warning." I told him. "If Vasco wanted you did, he would have gotten them to do it. They could do it so easily it wouldn't be a bloodly mess. One bite or snap to the neck would have done it. All of New York isn't safe for us anymore."

"Is anywhere safe? I mean you had to leave before because of Ander, does that mean--"

"No, I never was anything to Vasco. He tried allot to make me agree but no way in hell. If I'll somewhere west, I'll be fine. He has enemies over there so he wouldn't think of coming after me." I said. "For you though, it would be the same. Stay here, finish school. When he realizes I'm gone, he'll soon to leave you alone."

He quickly sat up, "No, not this again. If your leaving so am I. I'll take a break from school, I'll switch schools."

I frowned at him, "You always wanted to come to New York, don't leave now. I'll call you allot, figure out a way to sneak back here for like a day--"

"No." he said. I opened my mouth and he groaned, "No Thalia, no. You don't get to choose everything for me. Before it was different, I was younger. But now I can make my own decisions. If I wanna go with you, you shouldn't stop me. You should be happy." I opened my mouth again but he shook his head, "Everytime you open your mouth, I either get happy or frusterated. I love you, Thalia. That should make it enough for me to go with you."

"You'll hate the driving around though. I dealt with my whole life, I'm use to it but you'll get tired of it." I told him.

He scoffed, "You know how badly I want move around? After living in Harmony my whole life, I want freedom and adventure. Traveling around in a van doesn't seem so bad."

"It actually sucks when it gets cramp." I told him. "Seems so wrong for you, though. You been working hard in school but now you gotta throw it all away."

"I can put it all in hold. I'm young, I can always go back." he said. "There allot of school I can take for what I'm going for. I only took Colombia because it was in Manhattan."

I brought my hand up to his cheek, running my hand down his face, "You stubborn, stubborn guy."

He chuckled, "Got allot of room to call someone stubborn."

I leaned my head against his chest and his fingers ran through my hair, "Oh my life, why did I think the big city was the right place? My parents and Kavan tried to tell me but I refused to listen. I wonder when I'm ever gonna feel safe in one place."

"You're with me this time, I'm your good luck charm." he said and I rolled my eyes. "I'll keep you safe this time though."

*

I walked into the apartment room, having to leave Rian side. Aunt Hala came out of her room as I walked over to mine.

"Thalia, I have been worried sick!" she said as I went into my room. Little Shadow jumped on the bed as I grabbed my suitcase. "Uh, where are you going?"

"Not yet but soon with Rian about a week. I'm going to his door in the meantime." I said as I grabbed some belongings of mine and threw them in the suitcase. She scoffed and I faced her, "You were right, Vasco playing to dangerous of a game. Better I leave soon before it gets to messed up and you're in dangerous."

Someone else walked into the apartment. My nose flared as I smelled and Aunt Hala looked, "Ah, Kavan just in time." she said. I rolled my eyes as I started to pack.

"Thalia?" Kavan questioned as he appeared at the door. "What are you doing?"

I threw my clothes into the suitcase and grabbed my other one, "Vasco chasing me out because I be his wife and cub maker. He got his guys to beat Rian up so making sure we're both leaving."

He scoffed, "You're just telling me about this?"

"Didn't wanna worry you." I said. "I'm screwing things up, I should go. Vasco pissed, I picked a fight with him. He lost."

"What?" Kavan cried out. "Thalia, we should call mom and dad-"

My head snapped to look at him, "No, no way in hell. They'll say leave the boy and go with them. I can't live with them again Kavan. I'm adult, I learned how to take care of myself now. Best to just to pack up and go. I'll send Aunt Hala a letter when I get settled."

"Thalia, you're my sister. We're family, let me help--"

"I have 19 thousand dollars saved up, I'll be fine. Get to the new place, find some kind of job, and make sure theirs no Jaguars around. You guys were righy, the city isn't the place for a Jaguar like me." I told them.

"Thalia, stop it!" Kavan said, making me stare at him. He walked over towards me, "Mom and dad could help you. You don't need to runaway. We spent our whole lives running, we should stop and just fight this time-"

"There's no fighting Vasco when the whole state on his side." I said. "I'm leaving and never coming back here. I'll be fine, I had eighteen years of moving around experience."

He shook his head, "I can't believe this is happening."

I snorted, "Neither can I."